1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin projector, and more particularly, to a cooling system of a thin projector and a method for controlling the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The recent tendency of display devices is to provide a large screen size as well as lightness and thinness. Of such display devices, projectors have been greatly highlighted because they can realize a large screen of 100 inches or more.
Such a projector is a display device which projects an image generated from a micro device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) panel or a digital micromirror device (DMD) panel, onto a screen, thereby displaying the image.
Generally, such a projector is classified into a single panel type, a double panel type, or a triple panel type in accordance with the number of micro devices used in the projector.
In a single panel type projector, white light is separated into color light components in a time-division manner, and the separated color light components are illuminated to a single micro device. In a two-panel type projector, white light is separated into color light components in a space-division and time-division manner, and the color light components are illuminated to two micro devices. In a three-panel type projector, white light is separated into color light components in a space-division manner, and the color light components are illuminated to three micro devices.
The conventional projector generally has a rectangular hexahedral appearance such that the top/bottom side thereof has an area larger than that of the front side thereof where a projection lens unit is arranged.
As a result, the conventional projector has a problem in that there is a limitation to the installation space of the projector because an increased space must be provided in rear of the front side of the projector where the projection lens unit is arranged.
In order to solve this problem, conventional projectors use an optical system configured to bend the path of light using mirrors. In such projectors, however, there is still a limitation in reducing the projector thickness.
Accordingly, a thin projector has been developed, wherein the projection lens unit and other optical components are vertically arranged in a panel-shaped housing.
However, with regard to the thin projector, there is an urgent need in the art to provide a cooling system for such a thin projector, and a method for controlling the cooling system.
This is attributed to the fact that, although image display capability is a fundamental requirement for the projector, cooling capability and reduction of noise caused by driving of the fans are also major factors to support the image display capability of the projector.